New Routes

Our familiar routines are comfortable and predictable.  But new routes can be invigorating.  My daily runs tend to follow the same terrain, expanded or contracted slightly, based upon available time and weather conditions.  When I alter my route, as I did recently, my sense of observation is heightened.  Small changes can greatly enhance our experiences.  However, we must be willing to change our course.

Degrees of Difficulty

Julia, Gar and I had long anticipated this past long weekend and approached our three very different races - 5k, marathon and half-marathon with varying degrees of preparation.  The only different challenge facing me in my 5k was Austin's hills, as the distance was within my 1 - 3 mile daily run range.  Julia prepared diligently for her first marathon, after successfully completing 4 half-marathons and two Ragnar relays.  And though several of her training runs incorporated distances greater than her previous longest distance of 13.1 miles, she'd not yet completed 26.2 miles, nor had she trained on hills like Austin would present.  And Gar approached his first half-marathon, with the expectation that years of athleticism and youth, rather than training, would serve him well.

We each completed our races with better results than expected.  And we each embraced different degrees of difficulty for ourselves.  My race would not have been a challenge for either of my children, but I increased my normal pace and ran my fastest time ever.  Gar's race was an amazing feat for him, but would have just been a 5th half-marathon finish for Julia.  And Julia's goal-setting, preparation and determination served her well in completing a race which a small percentage of the population even attempts.  Yet, scores of runners also completed her race.

It worked out beautifully that we were all proving something only to ourselves, and could appreciate and celebrate the accomplishments of our other cherished family members.

It's important to realize that what is easy for one is a momentous accomplishment for another.  Degrees of difficulty are very individualized.

Accepting Bags of Rocks

Everyone has his or her own bag of rocks.  I love this way of describing all the unseen things that each of us deals with every day.  It's perhaps, just an updated version of the concept of walking a mile in another's moccasins.  We all have our public personas and our private selves.  Regardless of how carefree we are in our public appearances, we are all vulnerable in various ways.

When we consciously try to embrace the possibility that others we encounter are dealing with their bags of rocks, to the best of their abilities, we can be more accepting of small slights or things done differently than our way.

Too Efficient

It's a great feeling to get things done effectively and efficiently.  However, we must sometimes be reminded that life's joys care nothing about efficiency.  This weekend, I'd planned to leave the office in time to meet friends for an early movie.  However, a colleague who'd just started a new job needed some information which would only take me a few minutes to provide.  She got her information, but I missed my movie by 10 minutes.

Since Plan A went awry, I decided to go for a run.  Midway through my trek, I got a call inviting me to dinner.  My initial reaction was to decline because I'd already changed from presentable to sweaty.  Thankfully, I was convinced that there was time to shower, dress and join the festivities.

Though I'd already showered and dressed for work that morning, nothing more than an attitude was preventing me from starting over for a fun outing.   Sometimes starting over late in the day trumps the efficiency of dressed once and done.

Mom's Cooking?!

Julia and I were visiting on her walk home from class this week.  I was excited to share that I was preparing a full home cooked meal for myself (rather than the expected simple, available sustenance), just as she spotted a storefront she'd not previously seen - "Mom's Cooking".  What beautiful confirmation of how everything is connected and that Mom cooking for herself is a good thing.

We See the Same Thing Differently

One of my young colleagues and I were visiting at a retirement celebration for another co-worker yesterday.  He has been an engaged participant in our Comerica Bank Master of Diversity Awareness program classes that I've taught.  He made a point, beautifully and simply, as we were sharing perspectives about the initiative.  He held his raised hand between us at eye level.  Though we were both viewing his hand, his view of his palm was far different than my view of the back of his hand.  What a lovely reminder that we all see the same things differently!

Beautiful Timing

Though I was happy for Gar as he began his nice adventure yesterday, my heart always hurts when I must be apart from a loved one.  Fortuitous timing brought the arrival, within an hour of his departure, of a beautiful monthly floral delivery from Julia.

When we do nice things for others we don't always know how significant the impact may be.